Hygiene in hospitals

Madam, - Like Peter F

Madam, - Like Peter F. McIntyre (April 11th) I too find it incredible that there is a supposed need for an expensive multimedia campaign urging health professionals to wash their hands. I and many of my colleagues are greatly offended by the insinuations of this advertising.

I recognise it as a relatively cheap way to blame the real "offenders" in the health system, the doctors and allied health care workers! It is far cheaper than addressing the many other problems that infect the behemoth that is our public health system.

I suggest that the administrators who cooked up this wheeze should now direct their attention to the problem of people smoking 60 centimetres from the entry to most hospitals in the country. - Yours, etc,

MAURICE F. NELIGAN, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24.